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Disaster Risk - Rotorua

What are the potential disaster risks for Rotorua?

Volcanic eruption, including ash fall

Earthquake

Rural fire

Flooding

Extreme weather event

Hydrothermal eruption

Animal disease

Pandemic

Lifelines utility failure

As Rotorua is well-known for its geothermal activity, one of our biggest potential hazards is infrequent hydrothermal eruptions and the collapse of unstable hot ground. The district is exposed to a wide variety of volcanic hazards including ash deposits from an eruption.

Rotorua can also experience extreme weather events such as major storms accompanied by strong winds, heavy rain or snowfall, hail, thunder, lightning and tornadoes. These can damage property and infrastructure, affect crops and livestock and disrupt essential services, which can have an effect on the local economy.

Like other districts, Rotorua is also at risk of disasters that are caused by people including agricultural emergencies, industrial processes, urban fires, public health crises and infrastructure failure.

Learn about disasters in New Zealand

Click on a 'type' of disaster to learn more about what to do before, during and after

Disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, floods and storms can strike at any time, sometimes without warning. All disasters have the potential to cause disruption, damage property and take lives.

Many disasters will affect essential services and possibly disrupt your ability to travel or communicate with each other

In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, emergency services will not be able to get help to everyone as quickly as needed

This is when you are likely to be most vulnerable

So it is important to plan to look after yourself and your loved ones for at least three days or more in the event of a disaster